Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1887-06-29
TREES FLoURIsHING.
THE NEW WHEAT BELT.

THE NE" Wheat bEitI.
It has long been the belief of our far
sighted men that the bench-lands were
destined to become the wheat-felds of the
west. Mr.. Geo. E. Huy and others who
were pioneers in Minnesota, say that these
lands show better soil than did those of
Minnesota a quarter of a century ago and
that there was at that time a greater
skepticism as to the utility of the lands of
Minnesota and Dakota for wheat and agri-
cultural products generally than there is
in Montana today. Inspired by the be-
lief in the fertility of Montana bench
lands, farmers on the bench have been en-
couraged to plow deep and SOW early and
the results are most satisfactory. Last
year when crops in one of the most fertile
valleys in the territory were universal
failures when there was the longest
drought experienced in Montana, the
bench-Iands about Great Falls displayed
crops which wonld have been considered
frst-class in the states. Never have |
seen a finer growth of potatoes than last
year on sandy soil within one and a half
miles of town. Almost in sight of town
was cut wheat averaging n and one-half
tons of fodder to the acre, which experinc-
ed farmers declared would have yielded
eighteen to twenty bushels to the acre if
it had been threshed. Oat-ields showed
the same yield. These instances we're the
-, = ~ =, nrI1 nh1a nc fhav yrora p,nc+iu an
land lately broken. Let the land be
broken we'll and then plowed deep for
one or two season and we will put a crop
of wheat or oats on the bench-lands, near
by, against any crop grown in the most
fertile valley with irrigation. The far
mers also are coming to this opinion and
many say that the next ranch they file upon
will be upon the benches.
Let any one jump into a carriage and
they can soon be convinced. North Of
town on new soil are the wheat fields of
Messrs. Mcmillan and others which were
put in in May or June, and now present a
f1ourishing growth. A little north east in
sight of town, also on newly broken ground
are the wheat fields of Anhiser and Mans
field which give promise Of large yields.
Another field on older ground is the best
grain-ield in Choteau county, north of
the Missouri. On this side OF the river
the wheat-felds of MCPHERSON, Gibson,
Dickerman, Webster, Mansfield and others
are in a f1ourishing condition. The pota-
toes and oats of Mr.. Rolfe are as fine look
ing as we have seen. Further south, we
see the fine field of Geo. Budinoton and
still further we notice Frank Huy has a
alarge area in preparation for sewing an
other year.
r Mention should also be made OF the
fields of Phelps, CroWder, Walker and
others near the Central avenue eastern eX-
tension.
When we consider that these crops are,
many of them, on newly prepared soil and
that some OF the fields were poorly Dlowed
and put in late, we mus express wonder
at the fine showing mace, aud we predict
that within two years these bench lends
will be fairly covered with g ain fields
and the so-called arid belt prove like The
great American desert, to have been a
misnomer--to have been called a de4ert
simply because people We're ignorant Of
its capabilities.
Water has been found in abundance
upon these bench lands for stock and fam
lily use, at the depth of twenty-five 30
thirty feet. Flowing wells in two or three
instances have been found aud it is prob
able could be found anywhere by drilling
less than 200 feet.
It is the opinion of experienced men
who have carefully examined these lands,
that northern Montana is destined TO be-
come the srestest wheat growing section
of the northwest. That their judgement
will be verified by actual results We be
Iieve. RANCHEEo.